Tafner Family Reunion

Rio dos Cedros – Santo Antônio (Santa Catarina – Brazil)

November 19 th, 2017

November 19th was a special date for the Tafner Family. For the first time, the descendants of Angelo Tafner,  immigrant and patriarch of the Tafner Family in the state of Santa Catarina, reunited to celebrate his legacy.

Family and friends gathered for the reunion in the Santo Antônio community, in the small city of Rio dos Cedros (Santa Catarina – Brazil). The choice of this location didn’t happen by chance: this was the very place where Angelo Tafner – alongside many other immigrants – settled with his family after leaving the town of Mattarello (Trento – Italy) in the 19th century. The community was formerly called “Matarel” as a tribute to the immigrant’s hometown. Angelo Tafner arrived in Brazil in 1876, married Angela Perini (also from Mattarello), and together raised a family.

About 300 people attended the reunion. The many descendants of Angelo Tafner were joined by others who had an important part in the family’s trajectory themselves.

Beyond merely reuniting the family, the event’s organizers Olivio Taffner, Marisa Eliane Taffner Fraga and Andrey José Taffner Fraga saw a greater purpose: to give something special to everyone in attendance; something to carry with them throughout their lives. In this context, extra attention and care was given to cultural touchstones representing both the family itself, and the world in which it has thrived.

The day began at 10 a.m. with a Holy Mass honoring the Tafner Family, enthusiastically led by Fr. Sérgio Campestrini, also a native of Rio dos Cedros and of Italian ancestry. After mass, Sergio shared a few comments in the Trentino dialect known to most of the attendees, bringing back happy childhood memories for so many in the congregation.

The traditional Italian choir Gruppo Folkloristico Compagni Trentini from Rio dos Cedros prepared a special repertoire of sacred songs in Italian for the Holy Mass. The Gruppo is one of the oldest Italian choirs of Santa Catarina, heirs of the old tradition of “Santa Notte,” in which groups of people walk and sing from house to house throughout the city on Christmas Eve.

At a reception following mass, guests enjoyed some of the finest traditional dishes from Rio dos Cedros, a delicious mixture of traditional Italian food with Brazilian elements, prepared by a local staff. Lunchtime also featured a live musical performance by the group Família Panini from Rio dos Cedros, a group whose long history merges with the history of the community itself, when Clemente Panini started the tradition still kept by his descendants. Six musicians brought to life traditional Italian and Trentino songs with their harmonicas.

During the afternoon, attendees had a chance to socialize, tell stories and even befriend distant relatives. The group “Compagni Trentini” spread cheer throughout the crowd by visiting each table to sing traditional songs well-known to almost everyone.

Local dignitaries in attendance included the mayor of Rio dos Cedros, Mr. Marildo Felippi, the president of the city council, Mr. Cássio Berri, the correspondent of the Italian Consulate in the region, Mrs. Norma da Rui, and the coordinator of the “Circoli Trentini” in Santa Catarina, Mrs. Simone Sehnem.

Two important media outlets covered the event: Insieme magazine (from Curitiba/Brazil with national circulation) represented by the journalist Desidério Peron, as well as the Médio Vale newspaper (from Timbó/Brazil) represented by the journalist Greici Siezemel.

By the end of the reunion, in addition to the shared ceremonies, food, music, and camaraderie, there was now clearly a shared sense of nostalgia. Nearly every person left asking the same question: when is the next reunion?

Without a doubt, the reunion fulfilled its purpose: bringing friends and most descendants of Angelo Tafner together in their place of origin, where everything began 140 years ago, in a culturally and historically rich event.

Andrey José Taffner Fraga